Crossfire
by srslyjulia
Summary: Katniss and Gale save Lavinia and her brother from the hovercraft, and are rescued by District 13. A deal between the two powers of Panem prevents them from returning home. Separated from their families but inflamed by promise of a revolution, they agree to join the rebellion. Can they survive and bring Panem freedom, or are they simply pawns caught in a crossfire? Reviews are love
1. The Odds

**Chapter One: The Odds**

"Welcome, welcome," Effie Trinket chirps, her bright orange heels clicking as she walks towards the front of the stage. "I'm simply honored to be serving District 12 this year. Let's go on with this reaping, shall we? Ladies first, as always."

My throat tightens. I have sixteen slips in the bowl. Maybe it's not a huge number, but each means one more chance to be lead to slaughter. Even with my hunting skills, I'm a fool to think I'd have any chance against the careers. Briefly I regret signing up for so much tessarae, but the image of a starving Prim flashes by and I want to slap myself for being so selfish. Maybe I'm not safe with so many slips, but I could never live with myself if I let my family down. I desperately need to keep collected, so I put on a face of stony indifference as Effie digs deep to pull out a name.

"Asby Herriot," Effie calls out, and a town girl shuffles to the stage with her head to the ground. I hear the shrieks of an old woman in the background, calling for her baby girl, and I don't dare look back as the peacekeepers drag her grandmother away from the family section and into the Justice Building, presumably for the administration of disciplinary action before her good-bye visit . Haymitch guffaws and mutters something about a good show before collapsing on the mayor's lap. Asby bursts into tears and hugs a shocked Effie, who cautiously pats her shoulder.

The ensuing ruckus of camera crews and laughter from the visiting Capitol officials, not to mention the relief of not being picked, breaks my unfeeling mask. Prim, luckily, is not eligible for another year and is probably nestled deep in the crowd with my mother. Still, there's no way I can forget Gale's 36 slips. I catch a glance with him in the seventeens section, and he doesn't seem too amused by the spectacle. I have a sudden desire to tell him everything's okay, but of course it isn't. There's nothing funny about being forced to be entered in a lottery for your life, or the pain of a loved one mourning for their kin's certain death. Gale clenches his fists and stares at me, and the mix of sadness and animosity in his deep gray eyes is all too familiar to me.

Eventually, the cameras seem to have gotten enough of the little show, and a band of Peacekeepers march to the stage with their guns raised. District 12's reaping may be the laughingstock of Panem right now, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a brutal reminder of the Capitol's power. A slightly shaken Effie Trinket icily lets go of Asby and walks toward the other bowl. The tension builds up again, but without my iminent death in the future, I have less of a reason to hide my fear. The thought of him being forced to kill other tributes, and risking death himself, makes me ill. Neither of us would go down without a fight. My stomach drops and I don't think I really breathe until Effie calls out, "Otto Hayes,"

A dark haired boy from the eighteens emerges from the crowd after a few awkward moments. He stiffly walks to the stage and shakes Asby's hand without prompting. The crowd claps on command, as always, and the peacekeepers stop looking like they could shoot one of us on sight The tributes and their families are escorted. I hear a few muffled sobs in the background, but the sickening relief I'm feeling prevents me from paying too much attention. Otto and Asby are doomed, but I will live another year.

"We're safe," I call to Gale. In the end, isn't that all that matters?

A/N: Thank you for reading, and I welcome concrit. I know thus far the story is pretty unexciting, but I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. If you have any questions, message me here or at my tumblr, catniphatesbuttercup.


	2. Not Here

**Chapter Two: Not Here**

After the reaping, everybody usually gathers for a celebration in the square. Everyone brings a bit of food, and most of the district is so famished they don't mind bowing down to the glory of the Capitol in order to get a decent meal. Gale, however, refuses on a principle and breaks for the woods as soon as his section is let go. An unfamiliar Peacekeeper shouts back at him, but our "friend" Darius grabs him by the shoulder and reminds him of the whiskey waiting back the the law enforcement center. They break into a guffaw and walk over to a rather overdone woman I know to be one of Cray's favorites.

I guess I could stay and hang around with Prim and Madge, sample of a bit of the local cuisine, but to be honest I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of celebrating the reaping either. Still, I can't let Prim worry about me. Moments later, the sixteens are released and I run over to her. She looks like a delicate little flower in her yellow dress. It breaks my heart to know that next year I won't be able to protect her from the reaping.

"Hello, Little Duck," I say as she flies into my arms. "How are you doing?"

Prim's expressions darkens. "When that old woman was yelling for her granddaughter, Mom got all frozen up and was squeezing me so tight it hurt," she murmurs, eyes downcast. My mother standing next to Hazelle, who is hugging her like she's a little girl. When will she realize that she can't clock out like this all the time? You'd think after watching us almost starve to death she'd have toughened up.

"It was really sad. The reaping's so horrible, Katniss." Prim continues. "I _hate _it."

"Shhh, shhh." My voice probably sounds almost frantic, but there's no way I can have her talking like that in public. "I know, but we're done with it for another year. Why don't you go play with the other kids?"

"Why aren't you staying with me?" Prim frowns.

"I'd like to very much, but I think a certain friend of mine is off in a huff," I say, releasing her from my arms. Hopefully the bit of humor hides the guilt in my voice. I hate it when she worries for me.

"Oh, Gale," she giggles. "Bye, Katniss!"

"See you, Prim," I make my way out of square, eager to finally be back in the arms of the woods I love so much.

Even Gale at his testiest couldn't ruin the utter freedom I feel in the forest. After I quick trip over to my house to change out of my ill-fitting reaping clothes, I duck under the fence and grab my bow and arrows. Even though I already got a few rabbits this morning, I'd never pass up a free meal. For a moment, I stand still taking in my surroundings and keep an eye out for any predators. Luckily, the Capitol hovercrafts have probably scared them off for the day. The trees are dense and there's no real path, but I know these woods so well I trek to our rock almost automatically.

Gale either doesn't seem to notice my arrival. For someone who can be so sleathy, he's pretty horrible at detecting things like that. His body is faced squarely to the valley below us, but the debris of branches and rocks scattered across the forest floor reveal that he recently had a bit of an outburst.

"Angry?" I say, pushing away a pile of twisted snares and climbing up next to him.

"Better here than in the streets," He grumbles.

We're quiet for a moment. It's not like I'm good with words, anyway. I notice a tiny squirrel scampering through the trees above, but I'm out of the fine-tipped arrows I need to make a good shot. I sigh and take off my jacket. It's great for camflogue, but torture in this humidity. Gale's eyes flicker toward me.

"You don't need to keep watch on me, Catnip,"

"Of course not. You just seem kind of upset."

"Kind of? It's the reaping. Two people are being shipped off to slaughter as we speak. And there's nothing I could do about it."

"Did you know them?" I don't really pay attention to Gale's social life, but he mostly seems to hang out with Thom and a few other Seam kids.

"Not personally. But it's awful, especially for Otto. He was engaged, you know."

"Oh," I say. I probably should care more for the girl he left behind, but to be honest I don't put much value on romantic love. I know Ashby had a few siblings who must be feeling horrible right now.

"I just...it's just so unfair. He lost his chance at a family and happiness. Could that happen to me?" Gale furrows his brow and shakes his head.

"I thought you didn't want to get married." I certainly don't, not in this world.

"I don't, but I guess in a hypothetical way it would be nice. If things changed, you know," Gale mumbles. "Nevermind, Catnip."

The thought makes me feel uncomfortable. Not that I don't want things to change more than anything in the world, but the misery of this world had always made romance a non-option for me. If there was no Capitol, could I allow myself to love someone? Or would I always be so cold and aloof? I'm not sure. Who would I marry anyway-Gale? _No, _I tell myself, _He's your hunting partner. Don't be ridiculous. _I scoot away from him, relieved he called off the conversation. I guess we could go fishing or something now, get our mind of things.

Gale raises his eyebrows. "You okay?"

"Y-yes." I stammer, managing a smile. I'm in the middle thinking of a clever comeback when I hear the screams.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Hopefully this chapter was a bit better. Things will start getting exciting soon. I'd also like to thank **here-is-the-place **from tumblr for the awesome cover. Also, I really appreciate reviews.


	3. Capture

**Chapter Three: Capture**

For a moment, I don't even know how to respond. A human scream just seems so alien in our woods. This is no mockingjay call, that's for sure. Another shriek echoes through the woods, but the hovercraft of the departing officials suddenly roars all around us. Gale grabs onto me protectively, his hands firm against my shoulder. He's tense, his eyes bearing an unmistakable hunter's glare. He seems almost excited, ready to pounce at any moment, and I can't figure out why. The roaring grows louder and the hovercraft casts a shadow over the clearing

We look at each other and the message is clear..._run_. I hastily grab my bow and take off into the woods, Gale following close behind. The air is so sticky it's hard to keep up the pace, but I'm not going to slow down for anything. The screams grow even more frantic and we see two figures darting in front of us. They're young, red-headed, and suspiciously Capitolite in appearance, but I don't care. All I know is that the hovercraft is gaining ground and I doubt their plans for any of us are pleasant. I run up and grab the girl's hand. She yelps and attempts to wrangle herself away, but I hold on tight. Gale has got the smaller boy, who has horrible gashes on his leg, securely in his arms.

"Follow me!" I mouth. The hovercraft is gaining ground, and the crude pathway overs no cover. I am desperately scanning through my mind for a hiding place. Luckily, the woods are dense. My eyes dart to a large cluster of bushes near a small pond that should fit all of us. I maneuver through the trees and leap into it, barely registering the needles' sting. The girl tumbles in after me. She's not screaming anymore, but she's panting so hard I'm not even sure how she's breathing. Gale follows with the boy moments later, who curls up with his companion and sobs. She's barely responsive, though, and her eyes are as wide as a scared deer as she rocks back and forth. If I felt incompetent to comfort Prim from her nightmares, it's nothing compared to the utter hopelessness I feel now. I'm stuck in bush with a pair of hysterical strangers, pursued by a machine I'm sure has all manner of hideous claws and blades to ensure our capture. I find myself blocking a scream as I hear a strange beeping noise and the shadows start to engulf what little I can see.

"W-which one is landing?" The boy says, sounding too brave for someone who is about to die. So that's what happening.

I aim my bow instinctively, even though I know it's hopeless. If I'm lucky, Gale and I might get off with a whipping, or at least a quick bullet to the head. I'm guessing the boy and the girl will have no such "luck". Gale grabs my shoulder protectively, his face betraying no emotion, as the hovercraft finally arrives at the clearing. I hear the crack of the trees under metal and try to resist breathing in the hideous gas that bellows around the ground.

A large door folds out from under the hovercraft. The girl suddenly stops her frantic rocking and crawls forward with an almost curious expression. Men in gray uniforms march out carrying the biggest guns I've ever seen, their faces stone cold under clear masks. These are no regular Peacekeepers. My breath quickens and I hastily shoot at the biggest one. It bounces off and barely leaves an intent in his armor. My eyesight blurs and I can't even aim without my arms feeling like lead. The boy abruptly collapses on Gale's chest. Then everything goes black.

A/N: I'll admit I'm not really pleased with the way this chapter came out (it's much too short and it just doesn't read well). However, I've kept you all waiting long enough. I apologize for the delay. Thank you for your reviews and support, though! Hopefully my muse will be in working order now that the plot's in motion.


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